This invention relates to an electromechanical apparatus for maintaining a solar collector in a desired or optimum orientation with respect to the sun.
Many solar energy collecting devices work most efficiently when positioned generally upwardly, perpendicular to the rays of the sun. Because the position of the sun varies both diurnally and annually, various prior art devices have been used to position the collector, ranging from manual adjustment, clockwork adjustment, thermomechanical adjustment, photoelectric sensors, and combinations of the above.
One example of a photoelectric solar tracker is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,307. This type of tracker requires relatively sophisticated electronic apparatus to amplify the signals generated by the photoelectric cells before electric motors can operate to steer the collector. Personnel that customarily service and maintain such as home heating and cooling equipment, are generally not trained in the maintenance of electronic gear. As a large market for solar collectors is in home heating and cooling, it would be desirable to make this area of solar technology compatible with existing technology. In addition, in more rural or lesser developed areas of the world, the use of the more sophisticated electronic technology may not be appropriate.
Other solar tracking or heliotropic devices may be direct-acting thermomechanical apparatuses, as shown for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,213,285 and 3,982,526. This class of devices uses the direct action of a heat expansible member to turn a solar collector without the use of electric motors. These may be suitable where only coarse adjustments are necessary but may not be adapted for making the continuous, precise adjustments required in focusing-type solar collectors. In addition, these direct-acting solar trackers would not be capable of producing the large amounts of torque that would be required to steer a a large solar collector that was exposed to the forces of the wind.
The prior art does not teach a simple electromechanical apparatus which will track the sun accurately and without the use of electronic devices or circuitry.